How Strive Secured a 5.5x Income Mortgage for a First-Time Buyer

The Challenge

Sophie, a 32-year-old marketing manager in Manchester, was ready to buy her first home. With an annual salary of £60,000, she had saved a 10% deposit (£30,000) and was targeting properties around £350,000.

When she approached high street lenders directly, most capped her borrowing at 4.5x income. On her salary, this meant a maximum loan of £270,000 — giving her a total budget of £300,000 with her deposit included.

This wasn’t enough to secure the type of property she needed in her preferred area. She was left frustrated, feeling like her income wasn’t being recognised properly.

The Solution

Sophie contacted Strive Mortgages after hearing about our expertise in securing higher income multiple mortgages. We reviewed her situation in detail:

• Income: £60,000 PAYE
• Deposit: £30,000 (10%)
• Credit: Clean history
• Employment: Stable, 5 years with current employer

Because of her strong profile, we identified lenders willing to stretch affordability to 5.5x income — provided she took out a 5-year fixed rate product.

This increased her maximum borrowing to £330,000, raising her overall budget to £360,000.

The Result

With Strive’s help, Sophie secured a £330,000 mortgage on a 5-year fixed rate at 5.5x income. This gave her the buying power to:

• Purchase a two-bedroom home in her target area, rather than compromising on a smaller one-bed.
• Fix her repayments for 5 years, giving her certainty and stability.
• Stay within budget, while maximising her borrowing potential.

What This Means

By securing 5.5x income, Sophie was able to boost her borrowing power by an additional £60,000 compared with standard lender offers — a difference that completely changed her property options.

At Strive, we’ve helped hundreds of clients secure higher income multiple mortgages, giving them the extra affordability they need to buy the home they really want.

Curious whether you really can borrow 5.5 times your income?
See our full guide here: Can I Get a Mortgage 5.5 Times My Income?